The pilot bearing is in the crankshaft and should be replaced. It aligns everything including the alignment tool. It only wears when the clutch is used obviously.

Sanding the flywheel is for used ones I would say, just like scuffing used brake rotors to remove some of the glaze.

 

And just for grins Carmax offered me a whopping $5k for the car when I limped it in to them. Oh and an extra $300 if I used it to buy a new ride from them.
Not exactly what I would call generous.

 

Received Flywheel locking tool today. Inserted to make sure it fit.

Flywheel Locking Tool Pics

Gonna wait till the new flywheel arrives before removing this one to make sure everything mates up proper.

 

Have you given any thought to removing the pilot bushing from the crankshaft yet?

 

Yes i need to get a blind hole puller.

I think autozone will loan them out.

Blind hole puller

Probably try it tommorow

 

Never try using a Blind Hole puller on this type of flywheel bearing.

The bearing looks to be a stamped cylinder so the rim is folded in with a seal/grommet/spring to contain the rollers. By using this tool all I managed to do was unroll the folded/flanged rim making it impossible to remove from the front side.

So I went ahead and removed the flywheel since the bearing was totally screwed. Banged the bearing out from the other side using a socket. Guess I'll be using the new flywheel after all. Hope it fits.

Also a bit concerned with the amount of oil around the crankshaft oil seal and all over that compartment in general. Should I change the rear oil seal?

Bonus from Service Manual: "The rear crankshaft oil seal cannot be replaced separately. The end cover and seal are assembled at the factory and must be replaced as a set."

This can't be true? I can't find anywhere to get an End Cover/Oil Seal combo, all I can find are rear crankshaft oil seals. Even Autozone lists them. Autozone Rear Seal

After looking a bit more at the rear seal it looks more like the rear end cover is leaking from the right side.

Any opinions?

 

After reading and researching a bit more I was able to find a new 2003 Mercedes SLK rear crank end cover.

Also per manual...
Crankshaft oil seal - Rear
REMOVAL
1. Remove the flywheel.
2. Remove the crankshaft end cover bolts.
3. Remove the end cover.
4. Discard the end cover and the rear crankshaft oil seal - WTF? ok I understand the seal, but the whole cover?
5. Clean the engine block and the oil pan gasket surfaces.

Crankshaft oil seal - Rear
INSTALLATION
1. Apply a 1.5 mm to 2 mm bead of Loctite 5203 sealer only where shown on the new end cover.
2. Install the new end cover (without seal installed) and the end cover retaining bolts. Tighten the bolts to 10 N·m (89in. lbs.).
3. Using Special Tool 9100 Rear Seal Installer, install the rear crankshaft oil seal into the new end cover.
4. Remove Special Tool 9100 Rear Seal Installer.
5. Install the flywheel.

So I am assuming I misread the important note...
Note: The rear crankshaft oil seal cannot be replaced separately. The end cover and seal are assembled at the factory and must be replaced as a set.

So this doesn't mean they are a unit it means they both must be replaced at the same time. You can't/shouldn't replace one without the other.

 

All dynamic oil seals leak. If they did not leak they would fail very quickly, they rely on a very minimal leak to lubricate the seal faces. Otherwise the seal would just wear away from the heat and friction generated.

The mileage would determine the amount of oil that had leaked by the seal lip as long as the seal had not failed catastrophically.

From the picture I cannot make out where the majority of the oil is coming from, the fact that it is to the right makes me assume that it is coming from the cover plate, but I am not sure.

 

Yea I think you're right. The seal looks to be properly lubricated but you can see a gold pool to the left of the starter motor where oil has built up. And the E-bolt next to it seems to be getting cleaned from the flow of oil. I assume the crankshaft turns counter clockwise thus slinging all the oil upwards making it a bit more difficult to pinpoint the leak. My guess is the oil is coming from that bolt hole (or near it). I'll check to see if the bolt will tighten a bit. Is this a bad idea?

I'm also going to clean this area out to try to better see whats going on.

At this point a new cover and seal is about $50-$60 + cost of Special tool 9100 on eBay for $60 so I don't really see a reason not do it other than... inexperience.

Edit: Been looking for Loctite 5203 sealer and only found a few places and this stuff is expensive. Can anyone suggest an alternative gasket/flange sealer? Or does it have to be 5203? Loctite Blue RTV looks like a good candidate, maybe?

What would you do?

 

Does the seal and end cover come as an assembled unit?
That oil looks like it does come from the joint rather than the seal, if it was thrown from a rotating part would come of anywhere in the 360° of rotation. Trickling down it would create a path and sweep dust from its path. Is it possible that the oil is coming from higher up, where the seal is outside the higher bolt. Then running down the joint face and pooling in the crotch above the oily bolt and then flooding over the bolt head. There seems to be a dam under the bolt stopping the oil flowing straight down, I cannot make it out though as there is not a big enough picture.

 

No the cover and seal are separate.

Manual says to clean everything after you remove old cover, apply Loctite sealer to cover (as opposed to using a gasket I guess). Install cover without seal, then use special tool 9100 to install seal leaving approx 1mm of the seal protruding from the cover.

Since the seal looks intact would it be unwise to just clean it up a bit and try to torque down the cover bolts to maybe slow the leaking? I would really like to get my car back together

 

My thoughts are to carefully torque the bolts to the specified figure and go for it. Disturbing that seal may be asking for trouble. Mind you, I have been wrong before. LOL

 

Added some more photos of cover before I cleaned it. As well as a closeup of the oil seal sitting 1mm deep in cover. I'll take some pics of it cleaned up later for now all the pics show the oil flow for diagnoses.

I cleaned it up some and tightened the cover bolts to the required 89 inch Lbs (~7.5 Ft. Lbs). now my wrench isn't pro and they all went in about 1/4 turn so I may have over done it. Planning to check it in the AM and look for any leaky spots. But I doubt anything with show up until some pressure/heat is applied via extended driving (in Texas summer).

I figure if I put this contraption back together and everything works, and then I find it leaks oil at least I know where/why its happening. And then I'll make the decision whether to tear the thing down again and fix it.

Another issue is the flywheel bolts. The service manual says to discard them, I assume in favor for new ones. Does this also apply to dual mass flywheels (never mentioned in service manual) Is this necessary? Or can I reuse them?

 

Toss the bolts, 33 ft/lbs plus an extra 45° is a lot of stress on the old bolts. You do not want them breaking on you. Not much chance of that but ....

Drag racers have lost feet in the old days with flywheels coming loose.

 

My theory on rear main seals is simple; you are already there, change it. Why do the work twice when it starts leaking in the near future. As far as just tightening the cover bolts, waste of time really. Once those bolts loosen up, even just a tiny bit, the seal between the cover and block has been broken. There is no way of fixing it without replacing the sealing material. Do it right the first time and you never have to worry. Im of the pursuasion that I would replace the trans input seal as well, but thats just me. Taking things apart disturbs the way it has meshed with everything else for years. It will never be reinstalled in the exact same way it originally was so stresses are minutely changed on all the parts involved.
Take it from a heavy equipment tech that has learned these lessons the hard way.

 

Flywheel Fail

The one I got from Carolina clutch is the wrong one. LUK Inc. #DMF081 will not work, pins/bolt holes don't line up. The flywheel I need is MB# 112-030-13-05, hopefully there isnt a heavy restock fee at Carolina.

The MB dealer has them for $1090 I think LUK makes a compatible model 415-0118-10 but I cant find it anywhere. At this point I think I'm gonna just reuse the old flywheel, its in good shape and doesn't have any heat warp or defects. I will need to figure out how to insert the new pilot bearing safely and properly.

New flywheel bolts coming from Milwaukee to my local Chrysler dealer, 8 x $3.45 = $27.60 , in about 5 days.

The LUK Clutch Kit 11-040 is great even though I paid about 1/3 more for it than from here.

Seems parts for these cars are kinda hard to find.

 

Carolina Clutch and Performance, Inc.: Performance Clutches & Flywheels

So ordering from this place was a mistake, 25% restock fee, if they can even take the flywheel back since "no returns on special order items". And nowhere on the page does it mention the fact that it's a special order. So that's about $200 with shipping just to look have some quality time with the flywheel.

I should have done more research. Mercedes stocks the proper flywheel 112-030-13-05 for $1090 and you can get them online for cheaper. Looks like I screwed the pooch on that one.

Oh well.

 

Looks more like they are trying to make the pooch screw you

If there is not something expressly written out that you saw while shopping or going through the checkout process, I would simply send the equipment back, document the fact that you did, and tell your CC company what happened and refute the charges all together. Too many people try to take advantage because they think people are just going to take it. I wouldn't.

Good luck.

 

I went back through the checkout process/item listing and nothing ever states the item is special order so if they don't take it back I guess I'll call the CC company. Clutch place hasn't called back so I don't know what they are gonna do yet.

Thanks

 

I have a question. If you look at the transmission input shaft you'll notice the splines look pretty dry. The clutch kit came with a little packet of spline lubricant. Is that supposed to be lubricated? Why is mine bone dry?

I am assuming I should put some on the transmission before bolting it up. Or is it for other applications that use this kit, just not the crossfire?